Copenhagen: Rio de Janeiro was elected host city for the 2016 Olympic Games Friday as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) finally trusted the uncharted territory of South America with the largest sporting event in the world.
IOC president Jacques Rogge announced that the Brazilian metropolis of Rio won a final round of IOC voting against Madrid after the first Barack Obama backed by Chicago and Tokyo crashed ours in the first rounds of secret balloting.
Rogge said “the Games of the 31st Olympic Games are awarded to the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as the camp led by the nation’s president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva broke into a collective madness in the auditorium at the Bella Center in Copenhagen.
Soccer legend Pele and other members of the delegation with tears of joy as the river later on Friday to sign the formal contract of the host city. Enjoy the Olympic competition at the Maracana stadium and the famous Copacabana beach.
“This is great for the universality of the Games,” German said IOC vice president Thomas Bach.
The IOC last bidders had snubbed South America (including Rio four times), apparently taking into account South America is not ready to host the Olympic Games, bringing together more than 10,000 athletes and tens of thousands officials and media.
But by 2016 the IOC evaluation commission said in its report that Rio was able to organize excellent Games, which come two years after Brazil hosts the 2014 World Cup soccer.
An emotional presentation earlier Friday, saying it was the turn of South America for the 31st edition of the Games, also seemed impressed with Olympic athletes.
“Rio is ready, give us this opportunity and you may win,” said Lula. “Honestly, I think it’s time to Rio de Janeiro … It would send a powerful message that the Olympics belong to all continents, all of humanity.”
River and declared more than sun and samba, an important legacy for the next generation in a country rapidly catching up with leading world economic powers.
“Brazil is ready, Rio is ready to receive security games, celebration and transformation,” said the head of the bid, Nuzman.
Mayor Eduardo Paes said that hosting the 2014 World Cup was not a drawback, but is rather “our objective of using the World Cup as a springboard to the games as possible in 2016″.
Lula also rejected the skepticism of the IOC if Rio could really deliver the Games set for Aug 5-21 2016.
“Brazil has learned to respect their commitments. We must try every day to the world that Brazil has decided to become a developed nation,” he said.
Rio To Host 2016 Games, Goes To Samba Land For Olympics was first posted on October 3, 2009 at 9:39 am.
©2009 “MS“.
Popularity: 1%
